Who is former Top Gear star Ben Collins and where is he now?
BEN Collins has managed to make a big name for himself in the world of racing.
But who is he and what is he up to now? Here's what we know.
Who is former Top Gear star Ben Collins?
Benjamin Lievesley Immi Collins is a British racing driver from Bristol.
He attended Blundell's school and after studying law at the University of Exeter, he spent four years serving in the Army.
I’ve loved my career and have been fortunate to chase the dream."
Ben Collins
He started his racing career in 1994 and worked for Hornby as brand manager of the Scalextric model slot car division.
The following year he competed in Formula Vauxhall Junior, finishing third overall with two wins and eight podiums.
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Collins has raced successfully in almost every class imaginable, from Formula 3 and Le Mans 24 Hour competition to American Stock Car Racing.
Jackie Stewart famously remarked upon witnessing Ben's victory in a Formula 3 race: "When you see the likes of Ben Collins in Formula One, remember you saw them here first."
How long did Ben Collins appear on Top Gear?
Collins’ journey into the world of Top Gear began after years of honing his racing skills.
After he gradually climbed the ranks he found himself competing at the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans with Team Ascari.
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It was during this time that the opportunity to join Top Gear presented itself.
In 2004, he received a call-up and was offered a white racing suit, marking the beginning of his transformation into the enigmatic Stig.
Collin was dedicated to his role and went to extensive measures to hide his identity.
Even, during shoots in locations like London he would change his clothes in a van to make sure his identity remained a secret.
When checking into hotels with the crew, he adopted the name 'Richard Jameson' to further protect his identity.
The press dedicated their time to uncovering the identity behind the racing helmet, and leaks from various sources began to suggest Collins' name.
It did not take long before news broke from The Daily Telegraph that Ben Collins was the man in the white overalls.
In 2010, Collins then decided to reveal himself to be ‘The Stig’ in a now famous book, The Man In The White Suit, and consequently lost the job.
Collins was in turn replaced by another White Stig, and as of today, their identity remains secret.
Speaking about his time being The Stig, Collins told : "The Stig was the perfect character for me because I never wanted to be on TV – I just wanted to hammer all those cars as fast as they could possibly go.
"The Stig remained anonymous and driving fast was the job description so that was perfect for me.
"As time went by, and The Stig was allowed out of the house more, I started having just as much fun messing around with the camera crews doing funny walks and getting confused by escalators."
Where is Ben Collins now?
After leaving Top Gear, Collins now runs a successful YouTube channel called Ben Collins Drives.
As of February 2024, he has over 135k followers and regularly uploads videos.
Collins also continues his association with the old Top Gear crew.
Speaking about his varied career, Collins said in the same interview: “I’ve loved my career and have been fortunate to chase the dream.
"Not winning Le Mans remains a bugbear, but despite that it remains my racing highlight."
What other shows has Ben Collins appeared on?
Ben has designed and performed in some of TV and Hollywood's greatest car stunts.
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Most recently he doubled for 007 in No Time to Die and starred in the dual role of stunt driver and actor in Ford v Ferrari playing Denny Hulme.
He has also doubled for Christian Bale in The Dark Knight Rises and Vin Diesel in Fast & Furious 6.